Originally Posted by
chevynut
SMOKE?
My first car was a 55 Chevy 2-door sedan that I built myself from a mostly bare rust-free shell and frame I bought for $35 in the late 60's. I first built it with a 283, and after a couple of years I put a Corvette 427 in it with a muncie and 4:11 posi rear. My first drive after installing the 427 actually scared me because the engine had so much more torque than the 283.
Anyhow, a friend of mine had a 67 GTO with an L-88 427 in it, and I had the 55 with a 390 HP 427 which was a lot of power in those days. I could break my L60 tires loose in second gear at will. We drove our cars downtown one night when things were pretty dead otherwise and were cruising side by side on a one-way street, when be both punched the throttle. Both of our rear tires started smoking and we literally filled the street and the next intersection with tire smoke.
You'd never get away with that today...the cops would be on you like stink on shit, they'd confiscate your car, and you'd be in jail. Back then even if you did get stopped, they'd often just give you a verbal warning or a minor ticket. Now it's all about how much money they can make.